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I just wanted to update one and all on recent residency happenings and developments here in no. 76. As you all know we held an upcycling course in December which was one of the most enjoyable days I have had in quite some time. There was lots of chatting, sewing, trying on clothes, pinning, tacking, hemming, trying on again, wondering what to do with left over bits and finally the creation of a plethora of new garments. New from old! So thank you to all the participants, Rosie and Kelly from Re-Dress, Ross Costigan for the photos and of course Deirdre Harte, former resident artist…

So, what’s happening now…….In The Future, Where All`s Well. Devious Theatre Company is embarking on a journey that shapes the future of the company but also reflects on the future of our country, our people, our heritage and history. This is the theme of their current theatrical residency, taking place here at No. 76 John Street, the Kilkenny County Council Arts Office, January – June 2011. Do stop in and say hello. Also check out www.devioustheatre.com

I couldn’t resist uploading these photos of last nights view out of the window. It was a wet and dark evening but this view really caught my attention. As you may know Deirdre, Louise, Ita, Anne and Anne have spent much of their time over the last week or so unravelling jumpers, cardigans and the like, winding this wool into balls, washing these and them wrapping them around the window to dry. This is the result! Quite beautiful and I am particularly take by the dressing table and chair set up in the window across the road.

Last Thursday night was as you all know a windy stormy night. Despite this inclement weather, the arts office space, no. 76 John Street, had a room full of enthusiastic knitters. Much to the delight of both Deirdre and I we had forty five women turn up to join in our collaborative project. Deirdre (resident artist) and I, (Arts Officer) enlightened everyone as to what lay ahead for them……lots of knitting, chat, tea and biscuits and skill sharing and the eventual highlight that will be the unveiling of the fruits of our labour in December. We were thrilled with the obvious skill and talent around us last night and the clear interest in many to learn from each other. We very much look forward to working with everyone over the coming weeks.

We have also now opened up for bookings for our Upcycling workshop to take place on Saturday December 11th 10am – 5pm, places are limited and booking is essential!!!

Thankfully Deirdre is now back in action after a week of being ill. but she is certainly making up for lost time and things are developing fast. In fact we have put out a call for enthusiastic and keen knitters to collaborate with her and each other during her time here in the Arts Office space.
Using up-cycled wool, innovative re-design techniques, cups of tea, biscuits, lots of chat and instruction from Deirdre the group will create a collaborative piece of work. Deirdre will provide instruction on design outcome and will facilitate the group on a weekly basis over a five week period. We have had a fantastic response to this call and are really looking forward to next week and if things continue like this we may have to add a second night to the knitting activity. (we are still open to knitters signing up, mary.butler@kilkennycoco.ie) We are intending to unveil the finished piece publicly on the evening of December 11th.
Deirdre has also had meetings with three individuals who will be joining her next week as interns and will work with her on a weekly basis for the duration of the residency. This is a fantastic opportunity for the interns and lots of learning and skill sharing will go on no doubt. We look forward to introducing them in the near future.
As Arts Officer I am absolutely delighted with how inclusive the residency is proving to be already and there’s plenty more to come… so watch this space

START DATE: We are inviting the group to meet at 7pm on the evening of the 11th of November where Deirdre will introduce you to the project. This is your opportunity to interact and share skills and to learn new techniques in a highly innovative area of the visual arts.

If you have any queries or are interested in being part of this group please e mail mary.butler@kilkennycoco.ie or call 056 7794138 on or before 9th November 2011.

Dublin based artist Deirdre Harte with ‘Fatal, Faceless, Fashion Fascination’ will be our next artist in residence here in Kilkenny County Council Arts Office, no. 76 John Street. She will commence her time here on Monday 18th October and will continue to work on site until the week of December 10th.

Deirdre graduated from The National College of Art and Design in June 2008 with an honors degree in Textile Design.

The primary focus for her final year of study was in ethical fashion. Ethical fashion represents for her an approach to the design, sourcing and manufacture of clothing, which is both socially and environmentally responsible. Clever inventiveness is at the core of this design ethos. She tastefully reconstructs old ideas into new silhouettes that can relate to the wearer today. She brings new life to old clothing creating a new modern edginess for womenswear; her silhouettes capture, the love of the uniqueness and ‘one- off’ quality that only comes from being hand sourced and handmade.

Deirdre was the winner of the ‘Totally Oxfam’ design competition run by Re-dress for the first ever Dublin Ethical Fashion week in April 2008, She was a finalist in The Nokia Young Designer of the Year in February 2008. She also holds a Diploma in Fashion from the Limerick School of Art and Design.

Deirdre will primarily work with traditional handcrafts of knitting and crochet and hand stitch, combined with tailoring. Using innovative material combined with these traditional ideas form the connective tissue for this work, and in doing so push the boundaries between art and fashion, exploring these ideas through finishing, texture, function and silhouette. Making the non precious, precious.

She will consider the associated emotions that surround the desire to accumulate, by exploring ideas of weight and weightlessness on the body through the vehicle of fashion, referencing tribal cultures of Irish tradition, drawing inspiration from the Irish legend of Dullahan, the headless horseman.

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Art at No. 76

The aim and focus of the Art Residency at No. 76 is to enable the successful applicant to research and develop their practice.
Other aims of the residency are to:
give insights into how and why artists create their work,
build relationships and further promote the Arts,
provide an awareness and further appreciation of the Arts,
cultivate and develop new audiences.
The Kilkenny Arts Office is part of ArtLinks.ie